Joliet: Jack Beckman final report

BECKMAN ELIMINATED IN JOLIET OPENING ROUND

JOLIET, Ill. (June 8, 2008) - Jack Beckman piloted the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car to a first-round finish today at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway, after being defeated by Mark Oswald.

Beckman had the edge in reaction times at the start (.076 for Beckman, .087 for Oswald - .000 is perfect), but it was Oswald first at the finish line with a winning 4.822-second elapsed time at 319.52 mph to Beckman's 4.895/316.82.

"I think we've got the best car that hasn't won a round in the last five races," said Beckman. "We just got outrun. We set up for a 4.85 and I rolled in a little bit (deep-staged). We went an .89. The car should've done an .85 or .86.

"We got outrun by a better race car. The guys in the other lane just did an outstanding job. It was second low ET of that round.

"We have a very consistent race car," Beckman continued. "The good thing that might come out of this is that this might be the thing that forces our hand and says we need to turn the knobs up a little bit more.

"We will most likely switch to the new big-tube chassis for Englishtown. We'll make that decision somewhere between now and when we set up in the pits there.

"It's time to start seeing our win light again," added Beckman, who is 12th in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings, with one victory. "It was so exciting on that run because the car was going right down the middle of the lane. I'm thinking, I'm ahead, I'm looking for the finish line, and all of a sudden I see Oswald's nose poke out there right before the finish line.

"We want to be the ones to start doing that now."

-credit: dsr